Desperate Decision
by Ultimate Prime
Summary: Joxer exchanges his love for Gabrielle to unlock the warrior within him, but is it worth it?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything of Xena: Warrior Princess or Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

**Rated:** PG

**Author's Note:** It's been a long, long while since I've written any fan  
fiction concerning the character of Joxer, or the TV series of Xena  
Warrior Princess for that matter. I have come a long way since then  
from my really bad days of writing as KSCOTT2112 from the Joxerite Fan  
Fiction Guild (my only favorite story I did was Joxer: Spider-Man…only  
favorite one of my work). I posted this awhile ago on the GJRS yahoo group (so it looks a bit weird) and kind of lost a bit of interest in completing it at the time, but now I think I may continue with this story.

**Continuity:** Takes place after Season 2. Possibly a few months or so after a Comedy of Eros!

**Summary:** Joxer exchanges his love for Gabrielle to unlock the swordsman within him, but is it worth it?

**Desperate Decision **

**Chapter 1 **

They called him the Exchanger. A simple name for a mystical immortal  
who could have been easily mistaken for a god. Only the Exchanger had  
no temples in his honor and worship. He didn't care much for that. He  
had a gift; sometimes it was good, and sometimes it wasn't.

It was like a saying: "there is always a price to something that we  
want most."

Joxer had been very hesitant on adventuring to the Exchanger's domain  
which was cave deep in the highest mountains of Greece. The would-be warrior had not  
exactly just rushed in like he usually did. He had actually given much  
thought about his current situation after learning about the  
Exchanger, about what he could give, and what he could take in return.  
At the moment, Joxer could not find any reason not to meet this  
Exchanger. He could not even blame himself, even if others would in  
the future: Aphrodite, for one.

Or maybe not.

Either way, after months of nothing but bad luck and always ending up  
with the shortest end of the stick, his mind was made up.

Joxer gulped as he carefully laid down his tribute to the Exchanger  
before the candle-lit shrine. It was now or never as he bowed his head  
and spoke.

"Oh, uh, g-great Exchanger! Hear….hear th-thee my request and answer  
my prayer!"

Joxer waited for a response….and waited, and waited, and waited….

Nothing.

He looked around confused. There was nobody in the cave but him. Had  
he heard wrong? Did the Exchanger not exist? Or maybe the Exchanger,  
like everyone else it seemed, just thought little of the praying fool  
in his domain to appear and help him out?

…..Oh! Maybe he needed a bigger offering! And Joxer knew just the thing.

Reaching into his belongings, Joxer pulled out his lute, clearing his  
throat as he strummed the strings of his beloved instrument.

If the Exchanger demanded a better offering, then by the gods, he  
would get one.

Joxer opened his mouth, ready to sing….

"That will not be necessary."

….and about jumped ten feet in the air like a cat just after he heard  
someone speak behind him, holding his lute out in front of him like it  
were some weapon.

The figure was tall, cloaked n black. Joxer could not even see if it  
were even a human, or something else for that matter. The voice did  
sound like an average mortal's though.

"Back off, pal! I'm a warrior, and I'm not afraid to use this!" Joxer  
waved the lute at the cloaked figure.

He heard a soft smirk from under the hood of the cloaked figure.  
"You're no warrior, friend. The only thing you were ever trained to be  
was a musician."

Joxer's jaw dropped. How could this person....or god, or whatever he was have known that?!

The cloaked figure raised its arms as it slowly began walking towards  
Joxer. "I am the Exchanger."

Joxer's face paled. Slowly, he lowered his lute at his side.

"Not quite what you were expecting, right? I've gotten that a lot from  
all the other mortals who want something; all the mortals who are  
willing to exchange something of great value to them, even if they do  
not realize how valuable it is until they've lost it." the Exchanger  
spoke, stopping just a short distance away from Joxer.

Joxer began. "H-how did you uh, did you know about my, uh…er…."

"Your thoughts, Joxer. Through them, I can see your memories." the  
Exchanger moved closer to Joxer. "But, you're not hear to remember  
your childhood, are you?"

Joxer said nothing. All he could do was gulp again as he stared up at  
the towering cloaked figure.

"You are here for an exchange."

Summoning up what ever courage that laid inside of him, Joxer  
readjusted his feet, trying to prevent himself from fidgeting, with  
little success. "Xena said that somewhere inside me is a great warrior."

"A swordsman." the Exchanger supplied.

"Well, uh, see….if that's true, then…..then I want you to make me into  
the swordsman I could be."

The Exchanger said nothing at first. For a moment, Joxer was fearful  
that he…or it, would refuse him with probably a hurtful laugh or a  
wave of his….well, Joxer wanted to believe this Exchanger had hands.  
Mortal-like hands. Hopefully not claws. That would be scary. Really, really scary.

Instead, the Exchanger spoke again. "As you may have heard, if one  
wants something, there is the price of exchanging something for it.  
Offerings like that won't help." the Exchanger nodded its head towards  
Joxer's offerings by the shrine.

"I-I know."

"You do? Well then, Joxer….the Mighty, is it? What are you willing to  
exchange for this?" In one slow and swift motion, the Exchanger's hand  
suddenly fell on Joxer's shoulder, and the would-be warrior froze on  
the spot.

After a brief moment of silence, the Exchanger spoke again. "Ah, I  
see." He removed his hand back. "You're in love."

Joxer shifted his eyes away. He did not want to be reminded of this,  
but it seemed the Exchanger did not care as it continued.

"Xena's best friend: Gabrielle, the Battling Bard of Poteidaea. An  
Amazon Queen as well. Quite a catch for a mortal, she is. Are you sure  
you want this?"

Joxer opened his mouth to reply, but the Exchanger held up what was  
the hand of a mortal, cutting him off. "Before you answer, know this.  
The love you have for this bard, it's not something created by any  
love spells of the love goddess nor the arrows of her son. It is  
something beyond that; It's real. True."

"Or maybe it's just me being in love with the idea of….well, being in  
love! I mean, she really treated me nice, and I mean, we`ve hardly  
really gotten along at times!" Joxer cried.

"Is that how you feel?" the Exchanger asked.

Joxer blinked a few times as he replied, "Yes. Yes, it is. I…..I  
think." He sighed, shrugging with the shake of his head. "Look, are we  
gonna do this, or what?"

Joxer regretted speaking in such a frustrated tone, especially to someone  
like the Exchanger who could do….well, gods knew what he could do?!

If the Exchanger was furious, it didn't seem to show. Not that Joxer  
could see the Exchanger's face anyways.

"Is this really what you want?" the Exchanger asked.

"Damn right, it is! I'm sick and tired of being treated like….like  
dirt! For once, I wanna be respected! I wanna be able to not have to  
depend on Xena or anyone else to save my neck all the time! I…..I  
wanna make my family proud! And now, I have something to offer that  
can get me just that!"

The Exchanger suddenly folded his arms, falling silent again but only for a brief moment.

"Very well."

Joxer could feel his heart racing so fast that he thought it would  
have burst right out of his chest the moment the Exchanger spoke. At  
last, his dream would be become reality!

"I'm ready." Joxer smiled enthusiastically.

"Are you?" the Exchanger smirked. Joxer gave the Exchanger a confused  
look, but before he could speak, the Exchanger raised his hand at  
Joxer's chest, and then, there was a light.

There was an exchange.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you all like it so far! And guess what, here's the next part!

**Chapter 2**

Boredom was rare between the Warrior Princess and her best friend and sidekick, the Battling Bard and Amazon Queen. Ever since Gabrielle had left to go on adventures with Xena and see explore the world in all of its glory in many different forms of culture and such, boredom was hardly a word ever used or even thought upon.

There was a first time for everything.

For once, everything was peaceful. Usually, when it was peaceful then Gabrielle would be writing away on a fresh new scroll. That is, if she had anything to write about, and so far she didn't.

And it was already noon. Noon!

It wasn't until they heard shouting in the distance that their prayers had been answered.

Shouting, and groaning…..

A fight.

Motioning for her faithful mane to stay behind, Xena hurried off with Gabrielle following in hot pursuit with her staff gripped tightly in one hand.

Probably a bunch of warlord wannabes having fun, Xena thought.

What she found though was something entirely different as she stopped herself from leaping into the air, bellowing her famous war cry, and halting the bard with a raised fist as she watched.

And her eyes suddenly went as wide as dinars. Gabrielle noticed. Instead of asking, Gabrielle looking over to the small battle, hoping to find what made Xena freeze up like this or even look the way that she was looking.

All she saw where no more than five….no, six rugged-looking men against one. Despite their strength in numbers, muscles and weapons, they were definitely not doing too well. At all.

The bard saw nothing out of the norm, until her eyes fell on who the warriors were attacking. Instantly, she mimicked Xena's stare.

The pointy had gave it all away.

Joxer blocked the incoming blade towards his head with his own sword that he somehow managed to keep in his grasp. It didn't even break upon impact! The warrior distracted, Joxer took him out with a kick to his stomach, followed by a hard strike across the face with the hilt of his odd sword. Joxer turned in time to parry with two more swords coming at him, blocking them with the grace and speed of a master swordsman. Both women watched as he easily used one warrior's momentum against him, spinning around in time for the warrior to charge right passed him and slam the flat of his sword against the warrior's back, sending him crashing head first to the ground into unconsciousness. After blocking the other warrior's sword, Joxer swung his weapon down behind the warrior's foot. In a motion similar to what he had first used under the bell spell, he lifted the warrior's foot up with the flat of his sword, causing the warrior to lose his balance and tumble. There was no humorous insult or catchphrase that followed this time.

Joxer turned to the last of his adversaries, twirling his sword around in hand, ready for what ever they had next for him.

Gabrielle looked between Joxer…if it was Joxer…..and the warriors. The thugs themselves looked beat, while Joxer seemed completely refreshed. He wasn't even breaking a sweat, especially in all that miserable excuse for armor!

"C'mon, you cowards! I haven't got all day!" Joxer grinned.

The warriors weighed their options, and deciding that the situation had made their goal no longer worthwhile, they quickly turned and retreated into the woods.

They made it just a few feet when each of them were knocked out by Xena's chakram. She had recovered long enough to ensure no one escaped.

Gabrielle still couldn't move.

Joxer watched as the chakram returned into Xena's grasp, and smiled when he saw the two women. "Xena! Gabrielle!"

His smile was at least still the same. Goofy, but somewhat charming. So far, it seemed to be Joxer.

The warrior….wannabe?….sheathed his sword as he approached the women. "It's great to see you guys!"

Neither Xena or the bard said anything. Instead, the Warrior Princess calmly walked up to her lanky friend, leaning her face forward as her steel blue eyes searched his.

The smile faded from Joxer, replaced by a nervous look. Despite his current change, even he was still afraid of Xena.

Who wasn't? And Gabrielle doesn't count!

"….Joxer?"

"Y-Yes, Xena?"

She blinked a few times as she took a step back. "Just making sure."

"Joxer!" Gabrielle rushed over to him. "Joxer, that was….that was incredible!"

Joxer felt his ears pinken as he shrugged his shoulders.

"I mean," Gabrielle continued, "the last time I ever saw you fight like that was under a…." Her face fell suddenly before taking on a rather angry look. "By the gods, Joxer, are under another spell? I thought Aphrodite….!"

"No!" Joxer held up his hands. "No no! It's nothing like that. No spells, Gabrielle, I promise."

Xena arched a brow. It was either her imagination, or Joxer actually called Gabrielle by her real name, and not shorten it like he did with Gabby. He always called her Gabby, especially with such affection that only increased after the accident with Cupid's arrows in the hands of his toddler.

Speaking of affection, Xena noticed something in Joxer's eyes as he stared down at the bard. She remembered how the used to brighten and twinkle whenever Gabrielle was around. It always looked like he was coming to life.

There was no brightening or twinkle this time. In fact, there was somewhat affection, but not the amount Joxer usually had when he was close by her best friend.

"Where did you learn to fight like that then? I know it's been a month that we saw you last….thankfully," Gabrielle mumbled under her breath, "but I never expected even you would be able to defend yourself so good like you just did."

Joxer shrugged again. "Well, you know what the say about perfecting practice."

Xena smirked. "It's practice makes perfect, Joxer."

"Oh. Well, that makes more sense."

The dark-haired warrior shook her head. If the armor wasn't a giveaway, Xena could tell this was the same Joxer by the way he acted.

Something was different, though, and she wasn't talking about Joxer's sudden amazing skills as a swordsman.

Xena decided to change the subject. She would get her answers soon. "So, why were you fighting these men?"

"These guys?" Joxer waved his hand at the unconscious small group of his attackers. "Eh, they were just looking for an easy target."

"By the judge of it, sounds like they got the short end of the stick."

"Of course! I mean, those fools should no better than to mess with Joxer the Mighty!"

Yep, it was definitely still Joxer.

Gabrielle still wasn't sure.

"Okay. So, if it's not a spell, then where did you learn to fight like that, Joxer?"

Joxer opened his mouth to answer, but paused the last second before a single syllable could come out.

Xena noticed.

"Ah, well, uh, you see….uh…..W-why….Why don't we stop some place first and I'll feel you in. I am getting pretty thirsty…..and hungry. I mean, all that fighting can really work up an appetite."

Despite that she fought so hard in her mind to not, Xena couldn't help but agree with him. She quickly cut off anymore questions from the bard as she stepped between the two. "There's a village not to far from here. We can get rooms and settle for the rest of the day. Gabrielle, could you go and get Argo for me?"

Surprised by her best friend's sudden action, Gabrielle reluctantly obliged and walked away to find Argo.

That left Joxer…..with Xena.

He gulped, but still tried to make light of the situation.

"Well, I'll tell ya, Xena! That was one heck of a work…."

"Shut up." Xena demanded. "All right, Joxer. I wanna know the truth."

Joxer's eyes went wide. "T-the t-t-truth?"

"Yes, the truth. Gabrielle and I haven't seen you little over a month, and when we do we find you actually holding your own against a bunch of guys who look like they'd eat you for lunch." Xena moved closer to her clumsy friend. That is, if he was still clumsy. "You can tell me, Joxer. I just want to make sure you're all right."

Joxer was taken back by her concern. There were few times when she was ever this gentle with him, like how she praised him for having such a good heart, or when he protected a wounded Argo from Callisto who was actually Xena trapped in her body, and when she comforted him after Gabrielle laughed in his face of the idea of them being in love.

He still remembered when she dropped him flat on his face, though, so that made him keep up his guard, but Xena did at least deserve to know the truth. After all the times she had saved him, he owed her that much.

Clearing his throat, Joxer spoke up. "Okay, so….you're right. I mean, you're always right. The truth is…..well, it's…." Joxer hesitated.

"Go on." Xena gently prompted.

Joxer exhaled deeply. Here goes nothing, he thought.

"The truth is, I went to the Exchanger."

Both Xena's eyebrows raised in surprise. "The Exchanger? Joxer, you actually went to see the Exchanger?!"

"Y-yeah!"

Xena connected the dots together, but there was still one dot remaining.

"Okay, Joxer. I understand how you've become quite the swordsman, though I have to admit I'm not to fond of how you've done it." she gave him a stern look. One that made him lower his head like a puppy dog in trouble. "If you wanted to learn to defend yourself, you should have asked me instead of going to some deity you've never met before."

"Yeah, but….Wait, you would've actually trained me?"

Xena ignored him. "Alright, so in order for the Exchanger to make you into a swordsman, he had to have taken something very precious from you."

Joxer scoffed. "Precious? I wouldn't really call it precious, Xena."

"Oh? Then what…." Xena began to ask, until the final dot connected in her head and realization slapped her right in the face.

Why he called Gabrielle by her full name and not Gabby, or the way he was looking at her and how he wasn't looking at her…!

"Joxer, you didn't."

Joxer smiled widely. He raised his hands high to the side

"I gave up feelings for Gabrielle! Great idea, huh?"

Luckily, Gabrielle had finally returned with Argo. Otherwise, Xena would have pummeled Joxer to Tartarus!

The bard noticed the tension between her friend and the warrior wannabe turned master swordsman, even though Joxer wasn't showing it.

"Is everything ok?" she asked.

Mechanically, Xena nodded. "Yes. Just fine, Gabrielle."

"Great!" Joxer clapped and rubbed his hands together. "Now, how 'bout that village! I'm looking forward to a good feast tonight!"

"That's if they have any good food, Joxer." Gabrielle smirked.

"Hey, if it's digestible, then it's going right in my belly! Onward!" His head raised high, Joxer marched in the direction of the village.

"Other way." Gabrielle supplied.

Joxer then walked in the _correct_ direction to the village, but not before he walked closely up to Xena enough for the Warrior Princess to grab him on the shoulder and lean towards him while Gabrielle was busy with Argo.

"We're not done."

Joxer stared at her surprised. Without another word, Xena walked over to Argo with Gabrielle, taking out some rope to tie up the warriors with the bard aiding her.

She did give him a look when her head raised up in his direction. Just that look alone, he knew he would be in for lecture.

Big time.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** And here is the next part! Thanks again for the wonderful reviews! I'm glad you guys are really enjoying this. Unfortunately, Joxer may not enjoy this next part somewhat!

**Chapter 3**

The trip to the village had not been long, but it had been pretty uncomfortable. At least between Xena and Joxer, the warrior wannabe turned master swordsman who was awaiting possibly the scariest moments of his life the moment Gabrielle would be absent from the group.

Joxer on the other hand had kept the two up to what he had been doing while he was away, telling Gabrielle about his heroic deeds that for once were true and belonged to him instead of Xena for a change.

The bard was impressed. He gave it no reaction.

Xena noticed.

They made it to the village before dark, renting rooms and a barn for Argo before settling in the tavern and saw to it that Joxer's attackers were handed over to the authorities before finally settling in.

"Gods, I'm stuffed." Gabrielle sighed, leaning back in her chair. "I've almost forgotten the taste of chicken from having fish all week."

Xena nodded. "It's a good change when not on the road."

Joxer silently agreed, avoiding any gazes, especially Xena's for that matter.

"Now then, if you two will excuse me, I have a date with a nice, _soft_, warm bed." Gabrielle smiled as she got up from her seat.

"I'll be in later." Xena told her friend.

"Right." The bard turned to Joxer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You really were great today, Joxer. I'd like to talk more about tomorrow."

Joxer smiled up at the beautiful bard, but nothing short of a small smile for that matter. "Sure. Tomorrow. Good night, Gabrielle."

The bard paused, raising an eyebrow at the swordsman. Joxer noticed the way she was staring at him.

"I-is something wrong?" he stuttered.

"No" she shook her head. "Nothing. Good night."

With that, the bard made her way up the stairs, never seeing the frown Xena gave in her direction. Her best friend was starting to sense the deeper change within Joxer.

"Well then!" Joxer exclaimed before clearing his throat and standing up straight from his chair. "I'd better go and make sure those prisoners are secured….."

"Sit. Down."

Joxer gulped, and hesitantly obeyed.

The Warrior Princess leaned across the table, her steel blue eyes piercing right into the swordsman.

"Joxer, of all the stupidest things you have ever done, this has taken it to a whole new level."

"B-but…but….but…" Joxer stammered.

Xena held up her hand, silencing Joxer.

Joxer went quiet, ducking his head and pouting as Xena continued.

"I understand how badly you want to be a great warrior, Joxer, but the Exchanger? How could you give up something so…"

"…useless?" Joxer concluded.

Xena's expression softened at that. Gabrielle had not made life with her and Xena easy for their clumsy friend. Sure, there were plenty of times when he could be a real pain, but sometimes she also thought that Gabrielle was more than a little hard on him. Heck, even Xena could be more rough than he deserved.

He didn't really deserve being dropped flat on his face when he tried confronting Callisto's men.

"Love is never useless, Joxer." Xena pointed out. "Gabrielle taught me that."

"Yeah well, it can be when it's not returned. Especially when the one you love laughs off your feelings right in your face." Joxer's tone became more stern as he recalled the night after the whole love arrow fiasco.

"She thought you were laughing along with her. Gabrielle believed you were also hit by one of Cupid's arrows. If she had known the truth, she wouldn't have laughed."

Joxer shook his head. "I never asked to fall in love with her, Xena. Even when I was in love with her, I knew I never stood a chance."

Xena's steel gaze returned. "You knew, or you believed?"

"…..does it matter? Anyways, I thought you'd be okay with the news! You and Gabrielle won't have to be saving my neck all the time from now own, you know!"

That could be a plus side to the exchange.

Xena took a good long look at Joxer, searching his face, even his eyes that were cast downwards at the table while he was making circular patterns with his finger.

He just didn't look like he was regretting any of this.

"Fine."

Joxer's looked up at her, taken back. "Huh?"

"I said, fine. This was your decision So, all I can do is just let it be." Xena stood up, turning to head for the stairway.

"But,"

She turned back around, facing the swordsman.

"Since you have it in your mind that your feelings for Gabrielle were a waste of time and traded them in to be a master swordsman, I guess you should know how I feel." He deserved to know.

"I believe if you gave Gabrielle some time, and the two of you got to know each other more better, that eventually you two would have gotten together." Xena admitted.

She expected Joxer's jaw to drop and the color leave his face. Instead, the swordsman just stared at her for a second, then scoffed.

"Yeah, and Ares and Aphrodite are opting to trade godly positions soon!"

Xena glared at him and head for the room she would share with Gabrielle tonight. She paused though when she arrived at the door and just stood there. Joxer still believed he had done what was for the best, but even so, Xena just couldn't see it.

She quietly opened the door to peak at the bard already snoring away on one of the twin beds, and frowned again that night.

_A missed opportunity_, Xena thought sadly.

With a heavy sigh, Xena shut the door behind her and disarmed herself of her weapons and armor before crawling into the bed just a little way from Gabrielle's.

The Warrior Princess had a hard time sleeping that night.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long. Tried to get out of my writer's block for this story, but I think my muse is back now. And I've also been working on a new story of Joxer, this time with a popular fictional theme (I'll give you a hint: it's not vampires!).

Chapter 4

Xena had not been the only one to know a good night's rest.

Maybe it was from the exchange, but Joxer could hardly close his eyes or much less, drag himself to his rented room in the Inn. For once, the former klutz had too much energy, and had decided to take a trip out to the woods and train a little from the new knowledge of sword stances in his mind.

There was a time when swordtraining consisted of Joxer mostly roleplaying and pretending to slash away at imaginary warlords and monsters. These days now, it consisted of movements as fluid as a river, sometimes slow and patient, and other times quick and fierce.

Today though, Joxer was rather distracted. While in the process of movement, Xena's words from last night played in his mind. Her thoughts about Gabrielle and Joxer…..as a couple.

He shook his head of that, and continued on, only to become distracted again.

Joxer sighed as he lowered his sword to his side. So maybe it wasn't the energy charge of being a master swordsman. Maybe it was Xena herself, and not in a lusty wet dream sort of way. And now, her words were starting to really sink into his thoughts, making him wonder if maybe, just maybe that the Warrior Princess was right.

"Damn it!"

With a frustrated growl, Joxer swung his sword across mid-air in a perfect slashing half-circle. The speed of his move was so great that it gave strength to the light wind around him, causing the dead leaves on the ground to fly around him like he was in the middle of a……what did Gabrielle call those again? Oh, right! A dust twister! They were like baby tornados, but not necessarily tornados themselves.

Odd name, but she was the bard.

The young swordsman let out a defeated sigh. He knew it would probably be difficult when he reunited with Xena and Gabrielle after the exchange, but he had no idea it would be this frustrating, especially when his love for the bard was completely gone. Romantic love, anyways.

Joxer's eyes suddenly closed.

"You can make no sound all you want, but no one can sneak up on Joxer the Mighty." Joxer spoke with his newfound confidence. He turned to find what could have very well been an Ares-wannabe with the long dark hair, the beard, and not to mention all the black leather, except for this guy wore a long sleeveless leather coat with tattoos up and down his tanned muscular arms.

Joxer, for the second time since the exchange, was surprised. He didn't think a guy that big could be so good at stealth.

Then again, Xena….

"Perhaps so." The man spoke. "My name is Hellion. The warriors who you defeated and brought to this village were my men."

"Figures we would meet. So what then, you'll make some declaration to defeat me, free your men and lay siege to this village?"

Hellion chuckled darkly, slightly shaking his head. "Partially. The way I see it, if those fools were defeated by a more foolish-looking being such as yourself, they deserve to rot. As for the village, I could care less." The Ares-wannabe approached Joxer as he folded his arms. "However, I cannot let something like this just go and move on."

Joxer grinned widely. "Ah! A challenge!" He raised his sword at Hellion. "Good! Maybe you'll give me a better warm-up than your lackies!"

Hellion scoffed. "As much as I admire your enthusiasm of my challenge, despite how childish it may be, I did not mean right this minute. Tomorrow morning. In the village center. If you win, I'll leave and forget of the matter. If you lose, and lose you shall, I get the village."

Joxer looked confused. "B-but I thought you…..you said you didn't care about the village!"

The Ares-wannabe shrugged. "I changed my mind."

Joxer's confused look quickly faded when his confidence returned, his features taking on a much more heroic expression. "Very well, I accept your challenge. Tomorrow morning at the village center!" He pointed his sword at his new adversary. "Do not be late, nor even consider to run and hide, for Joxer the Mighty can…..can…..can see all!"

_Did this idiot really beat my men_, Hellion thought while somehow managing to keep his grin intact on his own dark features.

Hellion took a bow. "Tomorrow morning."

With that, the Ares-wannabe walked off into the woods, leaving Joxer to himself again.

The young swordsman could only scoff with the shake of his head at the retreating figure of this Hellion. As challenging as this Ares-wannabe appeared, little did he know of Joxer's true plan for him. Not only would this Hellion be an easy defeat, but maybe he'd be an impressive victory in the eyes of the villagers, especially to all the gorgeous women!

He'd might even surprise Ga…..

There it was again!!

Joxer shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger. Why in Hades did it matter if he impressed Gabrielle, anyways?

Either way, Joxer knew that Hellion was the first true step to establishing his role in the world as a legendary warrior.

Somehow, Morpheus had allowed Xena to find rest that night when she had decided to push her thoughts of Joxer's decision aside. In fact, as the Warrior Princess stretched her arms out to the heavens as she sat up in her bed, Xena decided to put Joxer's decision behind her.

Perhaps it was a missed opportunity, but that was just a part of life. Yesterday was in the past and today was new day now. The future could come later.

"Rise and shine, Gabrielle." She called to her friend as she began lacing up her armor.

The bard simply mumbled.

Xena smirked. Gabrielle was so predictable when it came to early mornings.

"…..Joxer…."

Xena stopped from pushing the strap to her armor over her shoulder and slowly turned in the direction of the bard's sleeping form.

Did she just call out Joxer's name?

No, it had to be a mistake. Or maybe it as a nightmare! Some of…..ok, most of Joxer's past acts have given Xena and Gabrielle their fair share of headaches, even enough to give them reason for bad dreams, like one time when Gabrielle dreamt of Joxer using one of her scrolls as a plate for a big juicy meal.

With a sigh, Xena finished armoring herself and walked over to the bard, her hand reaching out to shake Gabrielle out of her dream, until….

"….so warm…."

Xena froze, but not just to Gabrielle's words when she noticed the bard was hugging the other pillow close to her.

The bard suddenly giggled.

"….I love you too…."

_……Oh, gods!_


End file.
